The Vasel Archives
by Parsat
Summary: Inside the largest Gallian historical repository lie the answers to the nerdiest, most outlandish questions you've asked about the Valkyria Chronicles universe.
1. Juno's Microorganism

**This doesn't directly tie into the universe that I'm creating right now with Beginnings and Ends, Peace Breaks Out, and Vicissitudes, but it does seek to explain those little, ultra-nerdy things that you find in the personnel files and wonder about in the Gallian universe. What microorganism did Juno Coren name, and what war hero did she name it after? How does the genetic inheritance of a Valkyria work? What was the international reaction to Gallia's use of child soldiers? What were the circumstances behind the formation of the Evans shelter?  
**

**To these questions and more, we turn to the Vasel Archives, the largest repository of materials from the EWI, intrawar, EWII, and post-war periods (EC 1914-1940). In its vast complex, comprised of the Vasel Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Gallian History, and the Archives, thousands of artifacts, newspaper and magazine articles, diaries, books, government documents, and specimens provide the answer.**

* * *

An Excerpt from _The Gallian Journal of Microbiology_, Volume 4, Issue 7 (July 1940)

On the Antibacterial Action of a New Species of Microorganism, _Cillipenium welkinii_.

Coren, J.

While working with samples of _Staphylincus cereus_, a number of culture plates that had been set aside were found to be contaminated by a previously unknown species of microscopic fungi that formed small white patches in the sample. It was observed that in a large radius (5 cm) around the fungal patches, there were no _S. cereus_ colonies to be found. Those colonies that remained were transparent, signaling that significant cell death had taken place.

The fungus was taken from the original plates, cultured, and used in experiments investigating its antimicrobial properties. From these, it is evident that it synthesizes and secretes a powerfully antibiotic chemical. In an age where microbes are starting to become resistant to sulfamilimine antibiotics, this may provide the key to a new, more powerful antibiotic. The mold, which was previously undiscovered, is described in this paper and given the name _Cillipenium welkinii_, after the great Gallian hero of EWII.


	2. Nobility

"**Nobility"**

**From the **_**Encyclopaedia Gallia, 1936 Edition**_

Nobility in Gallia is a hereditary, privileged status granted by House Randgriz in a ceremony known as knighting. While the concept of nobility and of an upper class dates back to prehistory, much of what is known about nobility in the pre-Calamity period is unknown. The first nobles in the state of Gallia were of Valkyrian descent and united under the rule of House Randgriz. Legend has it that there were twenty noble families in the aftermath of the War of the Valkyrur, but their names and descendants have since been lost to history, save those of Signir and Retonne, the ill-fated father and son of legend.

Around EC 53, the victory of Gallia over the neighboring region of Britonnia prompted the first recorded mass knighting: Over two hundred and fifty families were given noble status for their support of King Gatticus the Pure. As of now, only three of these families are known to be extant in their original form, while most split into separate families, as the concept of primogeniture was not prominent in ancient and early medieval Gallia. This is where a sixth of today's noble families derive their ancestry from. Collectively they are known as the Epee Nobles, for the swords they carried into battle. After this battle, knighting was not done for almost five hundred years.

Around EC 500, knighting was resumed because of severe inbreeding and corruption among the noble stock. The reforms of Letham the Avenger created an efficient bureaucracy to deal with economic and political matters, consolidated power into the hands of the monarchy, and created a system of knighting that continues to be done to this day. Every Supplication Day, the third Sunday of November, a single family is knighted for their merit, a literal manifestation of the granting of petitions by the Valkyrur themselves. Nobles knighted in this way are known as the Lance Nobles, for the lance used in the knighting ceremony.

In 1211, the Revolt of the Nobles led to the deposition of Avar the Injust, the creation of the House of Lords, and a mass knighting of those in the bureaucracy, numbering some 133 individuals. These families and subsequent splits comprise the Robe Nobles, a half of the today's noble families.

Today, there are 326 noble families, all of whom are represented in the House of Lords. While their old, feudal powers have long been removed (practices such as _jus primae noctis _and sole land ownership, among others), others, such as the exclusive right to be an officer in the Gallian Army, have only been removed very recently. Some practices still persist, such as exemption from taxation and postage.

The hierarchy of nobility titles, from lowest to highest, is as follows: Baron, Viscount, Earl, Count, Marquis, and Duke. The female equivalents are Baroness, Viscountess, Countess (used for both Earl and Count equivalents), Marchioness, and Duchess. Of these, most nobles are Viscounts, Earls, and Counts. The title of Duke is conferred only to those of royal blood, with the reigning leader from House Randgriz known as the Archduke or Archduchess. Lance Nobles are knighted into Barons, but in very rare occasions of extraordinary merit, they may be knighted straight into Viscounts. Notably, the Militia leader Welkin Gunther was knighted as a Viscount.

Nobles, upon being knighted, choose the way in which they prefer to be known. They may choose to attach the title to their surname, as in Archduchess Cordelia Randgriz or Count Gilbert Gassernarl. The other choice is to attach their title to the area of their jurisdiction, e.g. Welkin Gunther, the Viscount Bruhl. Whatever the case, they will only be referred to by the method of their choosing.

The knighting ceremony is very simple. The knighted holds a small candle with a wick impregnated with ragnite, giving it a bright blue flame. As they kneel before the throne, they swear an oath of loyalty to Gallia and its people. The archduke or archduchess takes up the lance, touches the flame with the very tip of the lance, and taps their right shoulder, and then their left shoulder. They are then bidden to rise, and when they do they are given a sword with traditional Valkyrian motifs, the symbol of their nobility. The hilt of the sword is a glass receptacle where the burning candle is placed to melt. In every meeting of the House of Lords, another candle is placed in the receptacle. When the hilt is full of melted blue wax, the noble is promoted to the next title of nobility and given a slightly larger sword every time. The time it takes to become a Marquis from a Baron is two hundred years. It is possible for a noble to choose to keep their current title in perpetuity, in which case they are given a shield instead, a path recently taken by the Viscount Bruhl. When a family splits, the offbranch starts from the very beginning again as a baron, regardless of how high the family originally was.

The start of the 20th century has an internal conflict between younger, more liberal minded nobles against the older, staunchly conservative nobles. A few highly publicized cases of violence in meetings of the House of Lords have drawn attention to the increased instability within Gallia's higher ranks, and it appears that a conflict in the future may be imminent.


	3. Propaganda

**We can learn a lot about history through the propaganda of the time period. The Vasel Archives houses a large collection of propaganda from all over Europa during the warring years (1914-1935). Are they true or not? There may be more than meets the eye.

* * *

**

Since 1914, Gallia's conscription policy has forced thousands of adolescents into the carnage and the trauma of war. Even with a minimum age of 16 for conscription, they insist on continuing to recruit children as young as 12 to their armed forces. It is estimated that almost one-third of all Gallian casualties were children and adolescents under 18 years of age. In light of this massive child-abuse, the Atlantic Association Against Child Soldiers is here to tell you: Boycott Gallian goods!

* * *

Peace-lovers, or warmongering ragnite-hoarders? Overthrow the Gallians! Will you allow them to use illegal weapons and underhanded tactics as ragnide gas and executing prisoners of war, and flout international treaty law? Join the Imperial Army and teach Gallia a lesson!

* * *

WEAR FACE MASKS!

WASH YOUR HANDS!

FLU HAS ALREADY CLAIMED 3 MILLION EUROPAN LIVES. DON'T BE THE NEXT ONE!

-February 11, 1920

* * *

Every year millions of Gallian ducats from taxes are squandered in an army that embezzles and in a tiny fledgling Gallian armory that can't even make a peashooter. If Europa is to be at peace, why do we shoulder the cost of weapons and war? Support Marius Nylund of the Pacifist Party for Prime Minister, and Gallia shall finally be at peace.


	4. Imperial Tactics

**From **_**Europan Methods of Warfare**_

"**The Imperial School of Small-Scale Warfare" **

From an infantry perspective, the Imperial school revolves around the destructive capacity of the lancer, explaining the proportionately larger number of lancers in the Imperial army. The smallest autonomous unit of the Imperial school is the fireteam of eight, which revolves around a core of two lancers: one wielding an anti-vehicle lance, and another wielding an anti-infantry mortar lance. Supporting these lancers are typically two support engineers to supply the lancers, three shocktroopers to provide covering fire and close-range flamethrower defense, and a sniper or a scout to sight for the lancers.

Perhaps the signature maneuver of the fireteam is the "Iron Fist," devised in the urban Battle of Volgo. In this, the shocktroopers provide suppressive fire against the enemy, forcing them to take cover. This allows the lancers to aim and obliterate the cover and the people behind it.

While the fireteam's destructive power and continual offensive ability makes it a force to be reckoned it, its primary drawbacks are its lack of mobility and its vulnerability to being flanked. The former is addressed largely by the size of the Imperial army: While one fireteam may not be particularly mobile, a dozen fireteams on the field at once can push forward surprisingly fast. To mitigate the vulnerability of being flanked, typically an engineer and a stormtrooper are assigned to pay careful watch to the flanks and rear.

The Imperial school has also been criticized for its lack of efficient scouting. Scouting parties make up a separate group, and are often dispatched in advance of the main force to observe the enemy and perform initial strikes. In the midst of battle, however, scouting parties start to lack cohesion and scatter the scouts about, providing inefficient or insufficient scouting during the course of the battle. It has been suggested that Gallian victory over Imperial numbers has been in part due to the organized, efficient mode of scouting that the Gallian school promotes.

Fireteams are not autonomous forces. They are almost always backed up by armor support, i.e. tanks. While the lancer may be the center of the fireteam, the center of the Imperial army is the tank, and fireteams exist largely to protect the tank and to accomplish objectives that could not otherwise be done with the tank.

In terms of infantry weaponry, the Imperial school emphasizes ruggedness, reliability, and power. The individual accuracy and range of the weapon is subordinated to the amount of gunfire done at a given time. Weapon size and weight tends to be medium-light to allow more ammunition to be carried, allowing the barrage to be sustained. The use of the 7.62mm cartridge is meant to inflict severe bleeding wounds through the tumbling and fragmentation of the bullet, as opposed to the "straight shock" of Gallian and Atlantic cartridges.


	5. Valkyrian Heredity and Genetics

**AN: One of the most important chapters of the Archives: A full genetic explanation of Valkyrian heredity. Frankly, the overly simplistic idea of "Valkyria recessive, normal dominant" is patently false. Very few traits are only regulated by one gene, and even still, recessive genes have the tendency to appear in nonconsecutive generations in one-gene scenarios rather than going extinct.

* * *

**

_This book was a landmark work in Valkyriology. Although controversial for its views on Euros and Darcsens (the two races of Europa) and for Förster's track record of human experimentation, its effect on consolidating the pool of knowledge on the Valkyrian race is undeniable._

_On the History and Genetics of Valkyrian Evolution_

_Clementia Förster_

The Valkyria of history originated from the frigid northeastern most parts of Europa, in what is now Kutska and Soberia in the East Europan Empire. This region, although not the richest in ragnite, was formerly known as the "land of the blue rocks." Instead of being buried underground, the ragnite ore was available at the surface. With such close proximity to exposed ragnite, it should be no wonder that the Valkyria developed here. This, however, only partially answers why the Valkyria developed in this region.

Ragnite, in the highly refined form used today, is a very stable and safe molecule, but in an impure state it is known to have mutagenic properties. This is especially true when impure ragnite is burned from a frozen state for fuel. Archaeological evidence has suggested that ragnite in this form was often used as a fuel, especially by poor Euros, who do not possess the gene for resisting mutations from handling raw ragnite as Darcsens do.

The first Valkyrur mutation to develop, according to molecular clock analysis, appears to have arisen some six thousand years ago from a Euro in Kutska. This coincides at about the time the Darcsens are believed to have discovered ragnite refinement. By itself, this gene is actually the one that causes ragnite reactivity, a condition occurring in about 1 in every 100,000 Europans, where the affected suffers extremely high fevers and seizures upon contact with ragnite. It is a dominant gene, but the fact that ragnite is so ever present in Europan life means that affected individuals do not often survive to reproduce.

While this mutation appears to be detrimental, genetics is about the interplay between different genes and how they may enhance, mask, or make up for each other. The second mutation was the most important one, developing in an individual known as "Valkyrur Eve." The mutation developed in the chromosome of the mitochondria, the organelle responsible for energy synthesis in all eukaryotic beings. This mutated mitochondria is capable of synthesizing energy at accelerated rates, explaining the unusual stamina and recovery of the Valkyrur. This mutation also allowed the use of ragnite as an energy source, as a better fuel for a heightened metabolism.

Now the mitochondria has a separate chromosome that is always transferred from mother to child. It is hypothesized that Valkyrur Eve or one of her female descendants married an individual with ragnite reactivity to create the first person with the first semblance of Valkyrian power. The heightened sensitivity combined with the mutated mitochondria of that first proto-Valkyrian to not only counterbalance any harmful reactions but use it to fuel a powerful metabolism.

The only problem now was for the body to withstand the continued stresses of its newfound power, and to be able to consciously control it. It is here that records from the Barious Temple come into play, speaking of the grand predecessor among these ragnite-sensitive individuals who came to grips with his power:

_"The work of many generations done,_  
_Seed to womb, new life begun_  
_With powers surging in blue flame:_  
_Pure blood now flowed within his veins."_

Through this passage it is implied that these people had come to realize their identities as wielders of some power, however uncontrolled it may have been, and that a great deal of selective breeding was done to create the first Valkyrur. The genes to generate the Valkyrian flame, consciously control it, and withstand its enormous stress on the body are massive: At least 200 genes are known to regulate it, all of which are recessive genes.

Therefore, a Valkyrur is defined as a person who has all of these three:

1. The ragnite-reactivity gene

2. The mutated mitochondria

3. The correct gene complex to create the blue flame

After many generations, the proto-Valkyrur were bred away to give way to the true Valkyrur. At first, the Valkyrur were actually allies with neighboring Darcsens, who could refine ragnite even better than today's process. It was the Darcsens who forged the lance and shields for the Valkyrur. However, a fallout occurred that lead up to the Valkyrian conquest. Two reasons are thought to have caused this.

First, the Valkyrur strongly believed that the only true way to use ragnite's power was to channel it through the body in the form of the flame. This was a corner stone of their religion. Darcsens, on the other hand, had already built fairly advanced machinery using ragnite's power, which was considered heresy to the Valkyrur.

Second, it was found through political marriages that the mixed-blood children of Darcsen and Valkyrur resulted in an individual resembling either a Euro or a Darcsen with no powers whatsoever. The Valkyrur, obsessed with blood purity, could not handle this. As it turns out, the Darcsen gene that renders them immune to ragnite's mutagenic effects completely prevents the Valkyrian trait from being expressed, even if all three Valkyrur components are present. In genetics, this is known as epistasis.

Whatever the case, the war proved to be a bloody one. The Barious Temple tells us that although the Valkyrur were powerful, the machines of the Darcsen were a match for them, and only the power of numerous Final Flames was capable of destroying these "temples of dark arts." Barious, once the capital of the dominant Darcsen race, was reduced to rubble in the ultimate battle, and the Darcsens scattered.

Even with Valkyrian victory, there had always been many more Darcsens than Valkyrur. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but the Valkyrur, who relied on blood purity to sustain their power, were hit with a greater impact. They relied on inbreeding to sustain themselves, and as a result insanity and other genetic disorders crept up into their descendants.

It was then that the final few Valkyria realized an important secret. While the Darcsens possessed the gene that would turn off their powers, they actually did possess many of the recessive genes in the gene complex. In a sense, they could be a time capsule to cultivate all the recessive genes needed for the gene complex, in the hopes that a Valkyrian woman could later reactivate the Valkyrur again. They found these genetic time capsules in the traitor Darcsen clan that had joined them in the Valkyrian War: The House Randgriz.

Prior to this, the harems of Euro females that the Valkyrur kept dispersed the genes into the Euro population in the form of bastard children. Many of these genes, indeed, are present in some form or another in all Euro today. However, the mitochondria from the mother proves to be the great limiter. Somewhere in time, there must have been a secret union between a Valkyrian woman and a Euro male to create a female Carrier. Indeed, it can be demonstrated that all natural Valkyria today come from three Carriers in the far reaches of time.

The offspring of the Carriers who have all three components of the Valkyrur, however, are not completely like the Valkyrur of old. They have the appearance of Euro, and their powers only manifest themselves if artificially stimulated, or if severe injury is incurred.

It appears too, that the gene complex is actually incompletely dominant. Individuals whose gene complex is completely heterozygous may also demonstrate Valkyrian powers, but they need contact with extremely refined ragnite as well as severe injury.


	6. Gallian Army Reforms

**From "Army Reforms During the Cold War"**

With the escalation of the Cold War in Europa, Gallia was first to do a surprising thing. Instead of stocking up on artificial Valkyria, as the Empire and the Federation were doing, in 1940 General Allen Hynman performed a dramatic reform of the Gallian Armed Forces.

The first thing he did was to end the growing conflict between the Army and the Militia that had brewed since the days of EWI. He did this with a compromise: The Army became the formal regulars of the Armed Forces, as they had always been. The Militia had its regular members merged into the Army, and was then reformed as Gallia's intelligence agency, secret service, and special operations forces. Each section was still referred to as a squad:

Squad 1: Gallian Secret Service, tasked with the protection of the Royal Family, nobility, and national leaders. Should not be confused with the Royal Guard, which is essentially Randgriz's equivalent of a Town Watch. Based in Randgriz.

Squad 2: Gallian Intelligence Agency, in charge of managing and providing national security intelligence. The head of Gallia's espionage and spy network. Based in Vasel.

Squad 3: Gallian Science and Technology, where Gallia's government-sponsored research is organized. Some of its technological advances have been extremely secretive. There is known to be a special Valkyriology branch in Squad 3. Based in Fouzen.

Squad 4: Gallian Investigation Bureau, a law enforcement agency in charge of criminal investigation and internal intelligence. Based in Vasel.

Squad 5: Gallian Central Watch, which organizes the Town Watches of each Gallian town and city. Based in Randgriz.

Squad 6: Gallian Communications, which manages encryption, cryptoanalysis, and signal interception/intelligence. Based in Bruhl.

Squad 7: Gallian Special Forces. The "Sevens," as they continue to be called, are still known as Europa's first and most elite commando forces, advocating tactics and secret operations over mass display of artificial Valkyrur. Besides outside operations, they also handle hostage rescue and counter-terrorism operations. Based at Fort Amatriain.

At the same time, the traditional barriers that had surrounded the Army in terms of nobility were torn down, bolstered by an increasingly liberal House of Lords. For the first time civilians were allowed to be officers in the Army, once the domain of Epee nobles.

The reforms also banned the making of artificial Valkyria, but permitted Valkyriology research to be done. The freed up resources were used instead to expand Gallia's Air Force. This was a very controversial move in a time of the "Valkyrur race," and was approved only by a very slim majority of the House of Lords. As it turned out, brief intrusions from both the Empire and the Federation were attempted in the late 50s, but experience fighting against artificial Valkyrur in the Gallian Civil War as well as air superiority repelled both initial attacks.

A total reform of military equipment was also done. Instead of large, bulky rifles and machine guns dating from EWI's days, commando operations demanded lighter, more flexible weaponry in the form of assault rifles.

The 40s and 50s became a time when some of the greatest minds in weapons technology created some of the finest Europan firearms. On one side, Kalishov, the defector from the Empire, created the GK-44, an extremely reliable assault rifle that replaced the aging Gallian rifle series in 1949, while the Gazi submachine gun, named after the inventor, was employed by support troops. The Gallian tank, which historically speaking was light and defensive, received an upgrade in the form of the Gunther, a versatile medium tank named after the family of generals famous for pioneering the use of the medium tank.


	7. The Gallian Detachment

This book was extremely influential to Gallian military strategy and tactics during EWI and EWII. The first edition, while recognized as a masterpiece, ran over 800 pages, and was heavily condensed in later editions marketed towards teaching officers in University. As a result, many of the Orders he devised, his key military theory, were widely unread until Welkin Gunther's incorporation of them into his military tactics.

* * *

**From "Military Organization and Leadership"**

Roald Kankkunen

The heart of the Gallian army is in its infantry and its balance. It is not slow and ponderous as the Imperial army, nor excessively light and overextending like the Federation's forces. By creating balanced but specialized detachments of infantry, the Gallian infantry can demonstrate not only flexibility under different situations, but also the means to work together between units.

The basic detachment is one of seven soldiers: two scouts, two stormtroopers, a lancer, an engineer, and a sniper. Depending on the position of the detachment in the battle lines, the setting of the skirmish, and the objectives of the battle, it may have a different loadout, or more or less troops. This basic core, however, is quite superior already. It puts the emphasis on tactical positioning and accuracy of fire, rather than the brute force of the fireteam or the constant separation of the flanker.

**The Scout:** The scout is the eyes and ears of the group. It is the job of the scout to be observant and to spot enemy patterns and ambushes slightly ahead of the group. More often than not, the scout is responsible for taking point. Because their main priority is to sense, their weaponry should reflect that: Rifles with a medium-long range should be their primary armament.

**The Shocktrooper**: The shocktrooper's main goal is to provide an anchor point for the group. Their firepower should the force that gives the detachment offensive inertia or a defensive root. Their weaponry should not be too light or too heavy as a result if the battlefield demands flexibility. Under certain situations siding with one or the other may be preferable, but overall the shocktrooper is designed to be the most flexible member of the group.

**The Engineer**: Much debate has gone into the engineer's role, with some arguing for a split between the medic-like aspect and the mechanical aspect. In an ideal detachment, however, the engineer should be more like a mobile scout, capable of support by all means. A well-rounded nature may end up doing better in the ever-changing tides of war.

**The Lancer**: The lancer is the most variable unit in the group. Not all environments may have enemy armor show up, and so often they carry weaponry chosen beforehand to suit the conditions. While other units have experimented with back-mounted flamethrowers and light machine guns, I have found the most success in outfitting them with trench guns, because they are most efficient in an anti-infantry role.

**The Sniper**: The sniper is an unusual choice, I think, but ultimately long-ranged support is needed to eliminate key targets. While oftentimes they are dispatched in a "lone-wolf" style of combat, I have found that they have the possibility of doing more damage when integrated with the detachment. That said, they may not always be in such close proximity with the rest of the detachment in combat, because their role is to actively seek and eliminate the greatest threats to the rest of the detachment.

* * *

The formation of the detachment is also of prime importance. All members of the detachment are parts of the whole. They cannot do by themselves all tasks. That said, the way in which it is structured is adequate enough to function in the event that a member becomes a casualty. Formations are employed with mobility, protection, and tactical advantage in mind.

**Single-file**: A single-file line is oftentimes the only way to navigate through tight corridors _that are not chokepoints_, or the only way to navigate stealthily. It provides compactness, but at the same time it presents a particular vulnerability to enemy fire. It is mainly meant for trench or urban warfare.

_Deployment_: Scout-Shock-Lance-Scout-Eng-Snip-Shock

**Double-file**: A double-file line is best in trench warfare: It provides mobility and a greater spread of fire. It may also be employed in street warfare, in which case there is a larger separation between the two lines, one on each side of the street.

_Deployment_:

Shock-Scout-Snip

Lance-Scout-Eng-Shock

The Lancer is preferably armed with an anti-infantry weapon rather than a traditional lance.

**Column**: The best for outdoor, open areas. It is also the most mobile formation. However, it does require a great deal of space to maneuver, as well as good communication to perform effectively. It does allow greater chance of survival in the event of enemy armor or ambush.

_Deployment_: In the front is a shocktrooper and the scout taking point to the right. In the second row, there is a scout, the lancer in the middle, and the sniper. In the last row, there is the engineer and a shocktrooper anchoring the rear. There should be a separation of 2-4 meters between each member.

**Circular**: The position assumed when a detachment takes static defense. This assumes defense of an area open 360 degrees to enemy fire, but with some cover. The goal is to provide a ring of defense, changing according to the circumstances.

_Deployment_: The stormtroopers and a scout should be focusing on the side facing the most enemy resistance, while the other scout and engineer help keep an eye to the rear and flanks for enemy movement. The sniper and lancer should focus on taking out key infantry and armor support, respectively, from all directions.


	8. Yggdism

**"Yggdism"**

**From the _Encyclop__æ__dia Gallia, 1950 Edition_**

Yggdism (pronounced EE-dizm) is the largest of the Valkyrian sects, with a total of 37 million practitioners across Europa, and 22,539 in Gallia. The Yggdist faith believes in the existence of an invisible, all-powerful God, Eru, who created Europa with the Valkyrur as his divine vassals. These Valkyrur are seen as the bringers of salvation to Europa.

**Yggdist History and the Edda**

The Yggdist faith is based on a set of scriptures known as the Edda, comprised of 55 books. Originally written in Old Northern Script and compiled around the 3rd or 4th century EC, it begins with a description of the creation of the world:

_Above the waters of the deep he skimm'd  
His palm across the surface, and there brimm'd  
A fount of air to nourish sun and moon,  
Thus came the dark of night and light of noon.  
Round and round stirred Eru swift and still  
Until earth's bounty rose from force of will._

The creation event, known as Yggd (pronounced Yeed), took the shape of a spiral as Eru created the world from the bottom of the ocean up to the heavens. For this reason, the symbol of the Yggdist faith is a motif known as the "Valkyrian spiral."

The Edda goes on to explain the creation of man, originally a sinless, undying being living in the celestial sphere meant to glorify Eru by eternally singing. To enable man to glorify Eru with a whole heart, Eru granted man free will. For a millennia peace reigned, until the Great Betrayal, in which man attempted to wage war against Eru.

_Drums that once beat for his potent might  
Exchang__é__d hands to left, not borne by right.  
The staves that once were flutes and drumming sticks  
Were now the lances of man's harsh conflicts._

Their insurrection was foiled without effort by Eru, who cast them onto Earth. The leaders of the rebellion were branded by the darkness of their sin with "dark hair and eyes" (an undeniable reference to the Darcsens), and the others became the race known as the Euro. However, there were a few humans who did not follow the rebellion, the first Valkyrur.

In the First Redemption, Eru sent these Valkyrur to Europa to save humanity from a life of sin. In this time the righteous are saved and become Valkyrur themselves. After twenty years, Eru calls back a half of these Valkyrur back to the celestial plane with him, leaving the other half to effect the Second Redemption by waging war against the Darcsens. Although the Valkyrur hold divine power, the Darcsens are powerful, and the war is an extremely long one, ending only with the ultimate Darcsen Calamity in which they suicidally lure the Valkyria into their cities and destroy them with a massive display of dark magic.

The Edda then goes on to relate the War of the Valkyrur, in which the few remaining Valkyrur fall to sin and wage war with each other, the War of the Valkyrur. For this they are stripped of their powers, except for The Eighty, who remain righteous. The Edda ends in concluding that the Eighty still dwell in Europa, and continue to be reincarnated until Ragnarok, the day of judgment in which Eru takes up the Valkyrur back to his side and destroys the world to create a new one.

**Sect History**

As a formal sect, the Yggdists find their origins in the 3rd century, a time period when many different Valkyria worshipping sects arose. The oldest temple ruins are in Aesc, a village in the Atlantic state of Canterbury, suggesting that the sect started in and achieved special dominance around this region. It is theorized that the existence of a set of written manuscripts allowed Yggdism to spread and take root more concretely in the places it was introduced in. This is bolstered by the fact that Yggdism is the only Valkyrian sect with archaeological evidence demonstrating that its scriptures were written in Old Northern Script.

In any case, by the late 5th century EC, Yggdism spread across Europa, creating a large church centered in Canterbury. The first archbishop of Canterbury is said to have been a Valkyria and a man, which is known to be an exceedingly rare occurrence. Whether or not he possessed this power, he divided Europa into fifteen dioceses, each overseen by a bishop. These dioceses still remain today, unchanged.

As Europa's language evolved into modern day Europan, the Edda was translated by a Yggdist monk known as Jeromis into the modern vernacular. Later, a commission started in Canterbury established the Canterbury Translation, which has been in widespread usage for over 400 years.

The height of Yggdism came in 1200 EC, when numerous cathedrals were built and remain to this day. However, after this Yggdism took a heavy blow and lost considerable favor, the reasons of which are heavily debated by scholars. It is known that the Yggdist church wielded heavy influence over secular politics, and that several conflicts arose, but it is not known whether this caused the downfall. It may have been a waning memory and increasing skepticism towards the Valkyria that finally lead to the decline of Yggdism.

**Beliefs and Practices**

Yggdists believe in a series of purification rituals in order to achieve salvation from sins and life as a Valkyrur in the celestial plane upon death. Infants are baptized to wash them from "commuted sin," which is imputed on all humanity for the First Betrayal. After, the Yggdist lifestyle requires a series of prayers to be done daily to the Valkyrur, as well as a yearly fast and a pilgrimage to Canterbury to be done once in a lifetime. Upon death, Yggdists are cremated in a special ragnite pyre found in cathedrals that create a blue, spiraling flame.

As of late, Yggdists have been known for their particular reverence towards Valkyria awoken during the two Europan Wars, as well as their vehement opposition towards artificial Valkyria technology and Darcsen equality. In a highly publicized Gallian Supreme Court case, _Gunther v. Yggdist Church_ (1949), a restraining order was placed on the Yggdist Church for stalking and causing emotional distress to members of the Gunther family, known to be a family of natural Valkyria and half-Valkyria. Whether this is constitutional under Gallian law is debatable. It is worth noting that historically speaking, Gallia has not been kind to Yggdism; in fact, House Randgriz was known for forcibly evicting Yggdists from the country until the 17th century. For obvious reasons, support from House Randgriz past allowing Yggdists to stay and practice their religion in the country is not likely to happen.


	9. Gallian Villages

**Excerpts from "The Traveller's Guide to Gallia"**  
**_An pre-EWI Atlantic Publication (circa 1890)_**

Perhaps one of the most relaxing destinations in Gallia is the countryside. As a nation that had newly won its independence from occupation during the Industrial Revolution, much of it has still remained an agrarian society. Even Gallia's largest cities—Randgriz and Vasel—still retain a rustic atmosphere in comparison to the Atlantic's sprawling metropolitan regions. Gallia has a myriad number of countryside towns and villages, all worth visiting.

Bruhl is perhaps the most famous for its twin mills, formerly the property of a Gallian baron. Indeed, Bruhl's wheat and barley harvest is quite good, and should you be lucky enough to visit in October or November, you may be able to taste the local bread and brew. It is also known for its May Day celebrations, where children race on the nearby grassy knolls to win a May bouquet of flowers.

Another one of the most curious villages is Mellsen, which lies next to the Eastern Mulberry River. A fishing village, Mellsen comes alive during the great trout and salmon migrations in early May. It is particularly well known for the "Mellsen Maze," a series of manmade dams, waterwheels, and cascades that lead many of the fish to a hatchery, where a number of the fish are raised by man in safe ponds and later released. Mellsen's stretch of river is also home to the rare Mulberry Sturgeon, so named because of the black caviar's appearance and its faintly sweet aroma. Among some superstitious villagers, the sturgeon are worshipped as an emissary of the Valkyrur themselves.

The culture of a Gallian village is a warm and friendly one. Refreshed by the country air and soil, the Gallians live very peaceful, healthy lives. Indeed, the saying goes: "A breath of Gallian air nourishes more than bread and milk." Perhaps it is for this reason celebrities—Gallian, Eastern, or Western—retreat to these villages, not only for refreshment, but also to flee publicity. The villagers, as an unspoken rule, keep to their own and do not draw attention to people, natives or not.

To the amateur anthropologist, the Gallian lifestyle in these villages is fascinating due to its similarity to pre-Industrial ways of life. For example, Gallia still preserves in its culture after almost two hundred years a way of dress among its women. Unmarried women from the age of 14 up to the age of 30 wear a short dress with long stockings, known as the "Gallian Dress." This attire often bears the colors of Gallia's or the governing nobility's coat of arms. Upon the lady's marriage or 30th birthday, however, their wardrobe changes to a longer dress, much like that of our own womenfolk.


	10. Darcsen Diaspora

**Adapted from **_**The Gallian Diaspora**_

**By Hamlet gi Randgriz**

**Pre-Valkyrian Era**

Archaeological evidence of Darcsen origins is scarce, owing to the devastation caused by the Valkyrian conquest and the sheer age that such artifacts would have to be. According to Darcsen tradition, their ancestry is traced back to its patriarch, Abra, who fathered twelve sons, each of whom formed a clan. Although they originated in the southernmost regions of Europa, they traveled north in search of a "promised land" and found it in Barious, once a lush and fertile plain.

As their numbers grew, Abra's descendants migrated throughout Europa, but all twelve clans kept their head houses in Barious, all of which grew to be great cities. In this we have archaeological evidence: There are twelve sets of ruins in what is now the Barious Desert.

The societal relationship between the Darcsen and the more numerous but less powerful Euro in the pre-Valkyrian era remains unknown due to the lack of archaeological evidence. It is generally acknowledged that the Darcsen used their knowledge of ragnite power to establish their dominance, and that the Euro were probably placed into servitude after brief conflicts or demonstrations of power.

The Darcsen had a special connection with ragnite: Abra is said to have been a metalworker and the discoverer of ragnite's ability. Whatever the case, a Darcsen technological golden age was established in the pre-Valkyrian era after the perfection of a ragnite refinement technique. This technique, which has since been lost to time, created ragnite items of astounding purity, up to 98%, compared to the 66-70% purity of modern technique.

**War of the Valkyrur**

The end of the golden age came with the coming of the Valkyrur. According to histories found in the secret chambers of Valkyrian temples, the Valkyrur arose in northeastern Europa. Their heightened sensitivity to ragnite made them of great interest to their Darcsen neighbors, who gave them gifts of ragnite: lances and shields of their symbol. Eventually, the Valkyrur grew numerous and aggressive, and jealous of their Darcsen allies' protectiveness over their ragnite refinement technique, started the War of the Valkyrur.

While the Valkyrur possessed great physical power, the Darcsen showed more battle cunning and skill with weaponry. Still, the destructive power of the Valkyrur was too great, and the invasion pushed from the frigid northern lands to the fertile Darcsen strongholds at Barious. The Darcsen Diaspora came as a result of this invasion threat, and they were displaced to the South and West, where the highest concentration of Darcsen remain today. The participants of the exodus mostly consisted of women and children, leaving behind the able-bodied men behind to fight.

A deadlock arose as the Valkyrur laid siege to the strongholds, where neither side could achieve victory. It was not until the treachery of a branch of the Hosepha tribe that the deadlock was broken. This branch, from which later arose the House Randgriz, told the Valkyrur of the secret tunnels that lead from each stronghold to the ragnite mines. With this information at hand, the Valkyrur infiltrated the tunnels and entered the forts, slaughtering and looting.

But the Darcsen, perhaps anticipating this eventuality, had one last suicidal trick. Each city had a slab of superrefined ragnite embedded in its town square. From historical accounts, it is known that superrefined ragnite has the effect of amplifying Valkyrian powers so much so that they reflect back on the user. When the Valkyrur used their lances to "leave not a stone intact," they triggered the superrefined ragnite, which reflected back their power and overloaded their bodies with energy, causing multiple "final flames" powerful enough to engulf the entire region of Barious and turn it to dust. The resulting explosion was heard and documented all over Europa. In the process, the bulk of the Valkyrian army was destroyed by this massive final flame, later known as the Darcsen Calamity.

**Dark Days**

In the aftermath of the War of the Valkyrur, the surviving Barious Darcsen scattered throughout Europa, migrating mostly to the west, which had not yet been conquered by the Valkyrur. This generation is known among the Darcsen as the "fatherless generation," after the many Darcsen males who had been felled at the battle of Barious. Indeed, a very common name among the males of this generation was "Wuba," meaning "fatherless" in the Darcsen language.

With the Valkyrur so depleted, they ended up raising armies of Euro whom they personally commanded, sweeping over the continent in what became later known as the "Valkyrian Conversion." Many Darcsen were killed in this "conversion," and yet they still clung on.

How did they manage to outlast the Valkyrur? Certainly the Valkyrian descent had a role, both with internal struggle and inbreeding. But perhaps most importantly, the Darcsen had a cultural base that had been firmly established by the Barious Darcsen. As time went on, the Darcsen came to embrace different customs, but the language and many of their cultural beliefs have still persisted to this day.


	11. Potential Theory

**Excerpt from "Psychology in the War Years"**

In the tense interwar years between EWI and EWII, the profiling of militia members took a revolutionary overhaul under the direction of a brilliant young psychologist, Karl Sigmund. An student of psychology at Randgriz University, he served as a Militia psychologist, accompanying troops into some of the bloodiest battlefields to further his thesis on troop morale. Despite being captured twice (all the while taking notes on the Imperial soldiers) and being wounded several times (for which he was rewarded the Splintered Horn), he survived to publish his thesis and propose his theory of potentials.

In his thesis, he devised a set of variables that determined a soldier's key strengths and weaknesses in personality, combat, and social situations, calling them "potentials." Given the right situations, he noted, these potentials would activate, so much so that a commander could purposely place them in that situation to activate the potential. Each potential was cited thoroughly from interviews and his own observations on fellow militiamen. Although his original list consisted of 50 or so potentials, from Camaraderie to Metal Head, he later added many more in subsequent addenda.

He also dealt with the sticky issue of having friends and family members in the same unit. Although the death of friends and family was a definite possibility and psychologically harmful for some individuals, the combat and morale boost that they provided, he argued, was greater than if they were separated. He pointed to lower casualty and PTSD rates, as well as increased recovery rates and optimism in units with many friends and family members together.

Although he originally suggested these changes to the Army, it was rejected and picked up by the Militia instead, although it was implemented inconsistently depending on the squad officer. Lieutenant Welkin Gunther of the famed Squad 7, for instance, was a heavy user of the Potential system, and also closely followed Sigmund's strategy of placing friends together in detachments. Perhaps because of his success, the Potential system was put to wider use in the Gallian military, although the Army did not formally employ it until General Allen Hynman's reforms in 1940.

Sigmund's final work was devising a method of categorizing different personality types. However, his untimely death from pneumonia meant that this work was unfinished. It was later finished and refined by his close friend and colleague, Myer Briggs.


End file.
